Back Bay Neighborhood Info
Back Bay is a neighborhood located in the center of Boston, bordered by the Charles River and Esplanade, Beacon Hill, the Public Garden, the Theater District, Bay Village, the South End, and Fenway/Kenmore Square.
Originally an uninhabitable salt marsh, the Back Bay neighborhood was named because it was literally the back part of the bay. Beginning in 1857 trains loaded with dirt and gravel were shipped to Boston. The trains arrived day and night every 45 minutes for the next 47 years. Boston’s residents were familiar using landfill to shape their growing city and the wealthiest citizens bought land and built their mansions in the new Back Bay neighborhood.
Many of these mansions were renovated and converted to condos over the years, with some of them converted back to singe family homes during the dot-com boom of the late 90s. Today, Back Bay offers single family homes, condos, and apartment buildings. In addition to the historic brownstones, new construction buildings are being developed for both residential real estate and commercial real estate.
Most of the city’s luxury shopping is found in Back Bay, but high-end designers and restaurants run by celebrity chefs are mixed in with casual coffee shops and independent bookstores. The shopping districts are centered on the famed Newbury Street and within the malls at the Prudential Center and Copley Mall. Grocers are also abundant in Back Bay with Trader Joe’s, DeLuca’s Market, and Shaw’s within the neighborhood and Whole Foods a short walk away.
To get away from the crowds and the luxury high rises, take a stroll along the Commonwealth Avenue (Comm Ave to locals) Mall and see why Back Bay is considered one of the nation’s grandest and most elegant neighborhoods. The walk is enchanting on a winter’s night with snow falling and the trees above lit with holiday lights.
Twice a week during the summer, Copley Square features an outdoor farmer’s market with fresh fruits, herbs, and veggies from local farms. Back Bay also plays host to Boston’s two biggest events with the Boston Marathon route cutting through the neighborhood before reaching the finish line in front of Boston Public Library on Boylston Street and the Boston Pops Fourth of July fireworks display and concert centered on the Esplanade.
The most convenient forms of transportation in Back Bay are the Orange Line, Amtrak, the commuter rail at Back Bay Station and the Green Line stops at Arlington, Copley, Prudential, Symphony, and Hynes Convention Center. The Red Line at Park Street and Orange Line at Mass Ave are additional options. If commuting by car, Back Bay is convenient to the Mass Pike (I-90) and Storrow Drive, which connects to Interstate 93.
Luxury condo buildings in Back Bay include: The Mandarin Oriental, The Clarendon, 360 Newbury, The Four Seasons, the Albert A. Pope Building, Bryant Back Bay, One Charles, Heritage on the Garden, 100 Beacon, Zero Marlborough, Trinity Place, The Belvedere, 285 Columbus Lofts, The Prince on Newbury, The Charlesview, and 12 Stoneholm.
Luxury apartment buildings in Back Bay include: One Back Bay, The Colonnade, Garrison Square, Church Park, Exeter Towers, Avalon, and the Greenhouse.
To see Back Bay property, follow the links below:
